Great Moments In Skeleton Cinema

Inferno is one of my favourite Argento films. The second of the “three mothers” films and not nearly as accessible as its predecessor Suspiria, what this film succeeds in doing so well is to put a nightmare on film, not just in story or visuals but in feel. It’s lack of accessibility becomes its strength: the viewer needs to reject logic and literalism to best enjoy it (pure literalism is mind death anyway). There are many set pieces: the underwater room under the antique shop, the sewer of rats (not to mention the water walking hot dog salesman), the inferno itself, and of course the skeleton cinema moment above.

The soundtrack deserves special mention too. It’s actually not Goblin, but Keith Emerson (of ELP). I know that the idea of an Argento film without Goblin is heresy (they were having issues at the time of production that made them unable to do the soundtrack) but Emerson’s contribution to the film is really great. Listen to the madness that accompanies a scene involving a cab ride! Emerson, at Argento’s request, incorporated themes borrowed from Verdi no less: